Social Media Influence on Sports Content Choice: The Case of the TOPsport A League
Abstract
Background. Social media platforms have become one of the main sources for accessing sports information, shaping users’ perceptions of sports organisations and influencing their engagement and consumption decisions. With the increasing reliance on social media, users not only follow sports content but also participate in community building and public opinion shaping in the digital environment, which suggests a shift away from traditional media forms.
Aim. This study aimed to determine how social media influences users’ decisions when choosing sports content, focusing on football-related content in the context of Lithuania’s TOPsport A League.
Methods. The research employed scientific literature analysis and a quantitative survey method. A structured questionnaire (n = 384) was distributed to adult social media users interested in football. The survey assessed users’ information-seeking habits, emotional engagement, and perception of community benefits. The collected data were statistically analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics.
Results. The findings revealed that social media enables rapid access to relevant football information and strongly contributes to opinion formation about football clubs. Respondents emphasised emotional satisfaction, enhanced sense of belonging, and motivation to participate in sports communities. Visual and textual content quality was found to play a crucial role in user engagement. Additionally, respondents perceived practical benefits through easier access to ticket information, discounts, and rewards.
Conclusions. Social media significantly influences sports content consumption by fostering informational value, emotional involvement, and community participation. It serves not only as an information channel but also as a communication and identity-building tool within football communities.
Keywords: social media; sports content; football; community engagement; sports marketing; TOPsport A League
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Copyright (c) 2025 Author(s). Published by Lithuanian Sports University.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
